Test Methodology

Our new 2026 PSU review tests are performed with the power supply operating at 230 V/50 Hz mains. A Rigol oscilloscope is used for ripple noise measurements and the noise levels are recorded using a calibrated microphone at a distance of 1 meter from the tested PSU. The dBA noise values are just for the PSU—there are no other noise sources in the acoustic testing environment. Multiple electronic loads draw power from the tested power supply. In order to be able to properly stress high capacity PSUs, we have allocated 4× 400 W for 12 V, 1× 200 W for 5 V and 1× 200 W for 3.3 V, which brings the total testing capacity to 2000 W sustained.

To reflect modern real-world use, the majority of current is drawn from the 12 V rail. The 3.3 V and 5 V rails are calibrated to a fixed 20 W load across all tests, and the remaining total power is taken from the 12 V rail. Voltage is measured directly at the end of the cable connectors, so any losses across the cables are reflected in the results.